Chapter XXXVI.—Of Another Question Which Demands Our Consideration, Namely, Whether, in Passing from the Account of the Man
Whose Withered Hand Was Restored, These Three Evangelists Proceed to Their Next Subjects in Such a Way as to Create No Contradictions
in Regard to the Order of Their Narrations.

83. Matthew continues his narrative, connecting it in the following manner with what precedes: “But the Pharisees went out
and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him. But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence: and great
multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all; and charged them that they should not make Him known: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the prophet Esaias, saying;” and so forth, down to where it is
said, “And in His name shall the Gentiles trust.”10071007Matt. xii. 14–21. [Sperabunt, “hope,” as in Revised Version.—R.] He is the only one that records these facts. The other two have advanced to other themes. Mark, it is true, seems to some
extent to have kept by the historical order: for he tells us how Jesus, on discovering the malignant disposition which was
entertained toward Him by the Jews, withdrew to the sea along with His disciples, and that then vast multitudes flocked to
Him, and He healed great numbers of them.10081008Mark iii. 7–12. But, at the same time, it is not quite clear at what precise point He begins to pass to a new subject, different from what
would have followed in strict succession. He leaves it uncertain whether such a transition is made at the point where he tells
us how the multitudes gathered about Him (for if that was the case now, it might equally well have been the case at some other
time), or at the point where He says that “He goeth up into a mountain.” It is this latter
circumstance that Luke also appears to notice when he says, “And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into
a mountain to pray.”10091009Luke vi. 12. For by the expression “in those days,” he makes it plain enough that the incident referred to did not occur in immediate
succession upon what precedes.10101010 [The Sermon on the Mount was delivered during the withdrawal here referred to.—R.]